Lucky Bag Yearbook

From the 1906 Lucky Bag:

William Hollister Stevenson

Steve, Bill, Po

Buzzard (2, 1); Tired and Lazy (4, 3, 2, 1).

A languid son of No’th Ca’line, takes life easy, sw’ars when he gets mad, and ends up with a pleasant smile. He has a brace like a boat davit, and says it is too much trouble to stand up all the time. Doesn’t know the bugle calls yet, and stood at attention when he heard first call to colors. Listens to “Rube” Lake’s yearnings for Chicago, with great patience, and sometimes even wishes that he hadn’t left home.

“Mr. Stevenson, how do you go about-er-clearing up the decks.” “Well, sir, the first order is “Ready about, stations for stays."</p> <p>“Well, I’ll sw’ar
See dat b’ar, over dar.”

Loss

William was lost when the steam-powered launch he was aboard was “run down and sunk” on June 11, 1907, in Hampton Roads. He was a passenger returning to the battleship Connecticut, which he was stationed aboard, from the Jamestown Exposition.

Other Information

From researcher Kathy Franz:

On May 29, 1900, William and his three classmates graduated from high school. The exercises began by William reading his paper on “General Education.” William was awarded the scholarship prize to the University of North Carolina. He finished the spring 1902 term and was in the German Club and a member of the Psi Chapter of Sigma Nu.

In July, William was nominated to the Naval Academy by Congressman Thomas.

William and another cadet from New Bern, Matthias Manly, were not among the 115 Naval Academy cadets that were poisoned at the school in December 1902.

From the Daily Journal, New Bern, June 20, 1907: “There was a large number of relatives and friends at the station, yesterday morning, as the train from Goldsboro, arrived, bearing the remains of William Hollister Stevenson. Accompanied these, were Messrs E. K. Bishop and Mark Stevenson. . . . A magnificent floral piece from the crew of the Minnesota was sent. From the station to Cedar Grove cemetery, there was a long procession of mourners. . . At the cemetery, the services were simple and impressive . . .

His father Mark De Wolf Stevenson was an attorney. His mother was Harriet, sisters Anna and Emma, and brother Mark who became a merchant of building materials.

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Philip Field ‘06, Walter Ulrich ‘07, Herbert Holden ‘07, Franklin Holcomb ‘07, and Henry Murfin, Jr. ‘07 were also drowned in this incident.